Machine for producing wood screws



1.952 ,L. VIELLARD 2,582,662

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING WOOD SCREWS I Filed July 1a, 1946 2 SI-IEETS-Sl-IEET 1 I77 V1971 2 0! 46 072 ,VzJeZZai-i.

Jan. 15, 1952 VIELLARD 2,582,662

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING woon SCREWS Filed July 18, 1946 2 SHEETS'SHEET 2 I. f [I 1 -lo i v (5 1505/ Ilsa/44 D Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED S TAT ES PATENT O FF 1 CE "2,582,662 "monmc'ronrnonucind'woon scam-vs Leon Viellard, Ml'Vll'l'3LiS,-;Frafle h piicauoniuiy 1's, ie aserin No. 684,52 'In France May 9,1946

(chic-=51 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for producin wo'od's'crew's. I I I The production ofwbod screws with a slotted head -requires a certainnumber of successive operations including stamping, lathe-turning,'

sumciently well-finished blanks can he produced,

this case-after stamping, it is only necessary to effect the pointing, the slotting and threading.

The object of the present invention to provide in a machine for producing wood sci-ews. a device for feeding blanks to tools adapted to carry out said last-mentioned three operationsin *a'continuous and automatic manner. This deviceeffects'the displacement of the blanks with great security from feed hopper to the successive-tools with a reduced wear of the transmission-memhers. This device is easily readjusted when the size of the screws is to be changed. Furthermore, the various mechanisms are readily accessible so that they may be easily inspected.

The accompanying drawings show a form of construction of the device according to themvention.

In the drawings: I I I I Figure 1 is a "diagrammatic elevational view of the machine 'in one stage or its operation,

' Fig. la isa view similar to that of Fig. 1 showing the machine "at another stage of its operation, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the successive positions of the blank on the sup orting sector, the latter being shown in linear development, I

Fig. 3 is a front view of the upper part "of Fig. 2 taken on line IIIIII, I

4 is a sectional view taken on lineIV-IV 'o'i'Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on 'line VV of Flg. 4 but showing the pointing means periorm'ing a machining operation, I

Fig. '6 is a sectional view taken on "the line VI-"VI of Fig. '2. I

The device according to the invention eiiects the travelling of the blanks received in a feed channel I successively to the tool for pointing, to the slotting cutter, then to the member which takes it over, leading it to the threading tool.

The device is shown in Figs. 1 and 1a in two successive stages of its operation which clearly illustrates the travelling of the blank over a circular sector 3 on which it is subjected to the successlve operations. I I I The stationary circular sector 3 ispro'vided at by hlanks positioned-in GIiamlPI ami HQd by the yielding retainer *2. In frontoithestationary sector '3 are"arranged rocking arms '4 and ipivotedaround the axis of pivot S-tdhcfe'ntlurged outwardly-bye spring dreamer-end of the member Bis provided witha notch avi-n'g slopin 'sides for gra'spinga screwhlank-and elastically urging it against the sector -3. "The system'composed of the-elements 1, 8, 9 and) forms-an elastic feeler pressing the screw blank against thesector 3 during operations performed 7 on" the blank. The arm' l'carries'bnesuchieeler while the arm 5 =carries two of them. Things-2, the sec-tor 3 is-diagraminatically shown in side view and is developed to clarify "the drawings. Actually, however, said sector iseurved on a plane perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The arms 4-and5 provide forthe progression "of the screw, the body of which is'held by the'thni st Of the-springsfl-"of 'the elastic feeler against the "sector 3, the head of the screw remaining outside the'sector' on the inner surface thereof. The

progressionnf the blanks is caused'hrsthy the Figs- 1 n in e embodiment illustrated, and

thenby the arm 5 carrying twoelastic-ieelers.

The movements-or the two armsfare' associated, the associating means therefor, in thacase ii lustrated, eomprisinga lever H adapted to bear atthe end of the stroke ofthe arm 5 againsta suitablehearing member I2 on the aim lfFig. 1).

' Retaining levers l3 and ldfw'hose function willbe disclosed hereinafter, 'cooperatewith the removed by thesecond feeler on the arm- 5 is led to the bottom of the sector where it taken up by a lever l1 pivoting on a; pivot 18 for bringing it tothethieading chuck Iii-shown in 1 and 1a.

In Figures 1 and 1a, the successive "operations which the blank 15 Subjected are pointing,

v Thisassociationimay, howeverybe ensured through any other suitable mechanical means;

head-slotting and threading, but the sequence of these operations is not compulsory and may be modified. Thus, in particular, the pointing step may be effected after the slotting and simultaneously with the threading operation. Similarly, the means for feeding the screw is not neces sarily used in conjunction with the machining means described and illustrated. It may be adapted, to any other equivalent operations. Thus, the pointing may be omitted if the threading is operated with a cutter.

All these operations are ensured through rapid movements positively but smoothly effected so as to ensure a reliable progression of the screw from its position as a blank to the finished stage. The device according to the invention is applicable in machining of screwsof any size, even as Y short as to mms. in length.

A screw is grasped by the arm 4 and is removed by it from engagement with the yielding retainer 2 and brought in front of the pointing tool l5 while sliding over the sector 3- against which it is held by the yielding feeler Ill of the arm 3 (Fig. 1). In the last-mentioned position, clamp l3 urges it firmly against the sector 3 against which it isheld in position as shown in Fig. 1a.

,In this position, the screw is held fast, and its tip is subjected to the action of the pointing tool which caps it as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Said pointing tool comprises a chuck 20 within which is secured arod 2i carrying the tool, the latter An opening is provided at in the cap. 24 in the side wall facing the cutting edge 23 :for discharge of the cuttings. The screw being held fast, the tool 15 comprising the elements 29 to 25 is brought in front of it to perform a pointing 7 operation thereon.

When the pointing is completed, then the arm 9 assumes the position illustrated in Fig. 1 and its upper feeler fits over the screw as shown in side view in Fig. 2. A rotation of the arm 5 brings it into its second operative position corresponding in the present case to the head-slotting step, which position is illustrated in Figures 2 and 6. In this position, the screw is forcibly urged against the sector 3 by the retainer lever [4. Once it. is thus held fast, the head of the screw is subjected to the action of a cutter I6. The structure including the cutter and its carrier is arranged in a manner such that the axis of rotation of the cutter may lie along the radius drawn from the center of the pivot 6 of the arms to the location of the screw. Thus the cutter forms in the head of the screw a slot the bottom of which does not differ much from a straight line.

In the machining positions, the stationary circular sector 3 may have separate elements secured thereto as shown at 32, said elements being made of a more resistant metal or of any other suitable wear resisting material which makes it easier to retain the screws in front of. said positions.

, During the cutting operation, the arm 5 returns to'its position of Fig. land takes hold of a further screw through its upper feeler. Its second or lower feeler bears against the screw which has just been slotted and is held in place by the lever -l'4 Asthe latter recedes, rotation of the arm 5 leads the slotted screw to its lower position. At this point, the sector 3 is recessed and has a singletooth 28 against which the body of the of the tooth 28. I0

. 29 remains stationary, which consequently allows the chuck l9 to easily take hold of the screw.

As shown, clamp 29 comprises a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on arm ll about pivot 83. The jaws of clamp 28 are actuated by a mechanism -3l.-

" As is apparent, the movements of the arms 4 and 5 are correlated. The arm or slider 5 provided with two yielding feelers brings a screw .from its pointing position It: to its slotting posithe arm 5 through the agency of the part II bearing against the surface l2 of the arm 4', takes hold of a screw in the feed channel I and brings it to its pointing position. The passage from one position to the other for each of the arms .9 and 5 is effected by releasing the screw which it has just carried along and which is held fast at this time by retainer levers J3 and M. This operation is effected through the resiliency of the feelers l9 urged by the s trring'il and is facilitated by transverse movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1 in the direction of the pivot shaft 6.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a woodscrew-making machine including a pointing tool, a slotting cutter tool, and a threading tool to which tools screw blanks are successively fed over a delivery channel, blank feeding means which comprises a fixed sector in the form of part-circumferential annulus over and against which said blanks are caused to slide as they progress from said pointing to said slotting tool, then from said slotting to said threading tool, an arm adapted to rockabout an axis coaxial with said fixed sector, resilient feeler means on said arm applying said blanks against said sector and causing them to slide over the sector during their said progress, and retainer levers clamping said blanks against said fixed sector to block said blanks thereagainst throughout the idle return stroke of said rocker arm to its initial position. 1

2. In a woodscrew-making machine which includes a pointing tool, a slotting milling-cutter tool and a threading tool, feed means for feeding said blanks froma blank-delivery channel to a pointed-and-slotted-blank take-up means adapted to convey said pointed-slotted-blank to said threading tool, said feed means comprising a fixed sector in the form of a part-circular annulus over which the blanks slide during their progress from said pointing to said slotting tool then from said slotting tool to said take-up means, a rocker arm rockable about an axis coaxial'withv said sector yielding feeler means on said arm applying said blanks against said fixed sector during their said progress from said pointing to said slotting tool and from said slotting tool to said take-up means, and retainer clamps clamping said blanks against said sectorto block them as they are machined by said tool While said rocker arm returns to its initial position without moving said blanks.

3. In a woodscrew cutting machine which includes a pointing, a slotting milling-cutter and a threading tool and feed means for feeding said blanks from a delivery channel to said tools in succession, said feed means comprising a sector in the form of a quarter of a circumference over which said blanks are adapted. to slide during their said feed progress, a rocker arm rockable about an axis *coaxial with said sector and yielding feeler means on said arm applying said blanks against said fixed sector and moving them from each said tool to the next, and retainer clamps clamping said blanks against said fixed sector to block them while they are being machined by said tools, during the idle return stroke of said rocker arm.

4. In a woodscrew-niaking machine with means for successively pointing, slotting and threading a number of blanks, a pointing tool, a slotting milling cutter and a pivotal take-up lever for taking up the pointed and slotted blank and advance it to the threading means, respectively arranged at the top, at an intermediate point of, and at the bottom of a fixed sector in the form of a quarter-circumference, said sector arranged at the outlet from and as an extension of a delivery channel, said sector constituting a 6 backing surface for said blanks throughout their sliding progress from one of said tools to the next, a reciprocable arm adapted to rock about the center of said fixed sector, two yielding feelers on said arm each applying a blank against said sector and slidingly advancing it over said sector :from said pointing to said slotting means and from said slotting means to said take-up lever respectively, and retainer clamps blocking said blanks against said sector as they are being machined, while said rocker arm recedes Without driving any blanks therewith.

LEON VIELLARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 468,524 Phillips Feb. 9, 1892 580,171 Allen Apr. 6, 1897 948,200 Avery Feb. 1, 1910 1,253,631 Rodd Jan. 15, 1918 1,682,646 Weber Aug. 28, 1928 2,339,807 Rau Jan. 25, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 276,891 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1927 

